Portable boring machine



June 19, 1928. 1,674,189

H. s. BROWN PORTABLE BOR I NG MACH I NE ATTORNEY;

June 19, 1928.

H. S. BROWN PORTABLE BORING MACHINE Filed March l, 1924 4 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR ATroRNEY June 19, 1928.

, H. s. BROWN PORTABLE BORING MACHINE Filed Maron 1, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR /fkoa/f? ATTORNEY June 19, 192s. 1,674,189 H. S. BROWN PoRTfgaLE' BORING MACHINE Filed March 1, 1924 4 sheets-smet 4 -5Z 5/ INVENTOR ramas aus@ i, isa;

UNITED A:sa-Te Para #saaie HUGH S. BROWN, OF ROSELLE PARK, JERSEY, 'ASSIGNOR ,T0 HUBRON COM- 'V IPANY, INC., A CORPORATION OF N JERSEY.

PORTABLE BORING MACHINE.

Application led March 1,1924. Serial lilo. 696,215.

My invention relates to earth boring machines in general and more particularly c ons ists in improved apparatus for digging post holes for telegraph and telephone posts,

fence posts, &c. It comprises certain improvementson the machine shown in lmy pending application Serial N o. 328,251, filed October 3, 1919,- allowed February 5, 1924, which will be herein more particularly pointed out, and is designed tol render said machine more eilicient and convenient in operation. The best form of apparatus embodying my invention at present known to me is illustrated inthe accompanying four sheets of drawings in which Fig. .1 is a side elevation of the machine with parts broken away and others'shown in* section and one of the supporting wheels being removed. I

Fig. 2 is a front elevation, certain parts being broken away andothers shown in partial section.

Fig. 3 is a partial plan view showingthe front end of the machine with certain parts z5 broken away and others shown in section,l

the principal section being taken on lines 3 3 of Fig. 1. I

Fig. 4 is a detail of the tool hblding element and driving gear therefor, parts beingv shown in section and others broken away.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line 5*-5 of Fig. 4 looking downward. Fig, 6 is a detail of the clutch mechanism taken in section'on line 6-.4-6 of Fig. 3 looking toward the front of the machine.

Fig. 7 is a detail of the pawl for holding the tool holderV in elevated position, and

Fig. 8 isfaplan of the earth-auger and a cross section of the auger-shaft taken on line 4o 8-8 of Fig. 2.

Throughout 4the drawings' like reference characters indicate like parts.

the two longitudinally extending channel irons and certain cross braces and housings hereinafter to be described. This chassis is sup ort'ed upon .elliptical wagon springs 2, 2,. astened at their upper portions to the lugs 53, which are bolted to the channel irons 1, is the main f frame or chassis of the machine composed of- 1, and fastened at their lower portions by clips 2a, to the supporting axle 3, which in turn is supported by "wheels 4, 4. 5, is a wagon tongue, the inner end of which is held in the brace 52, extending across the chassis, said brace having the horizontal sleeve 5a cast therein for receiving said tongue 5'. Normally this tongue is held in 'extended polsition, as shown in Fig. 1, by means of the pin 5", but when said pin is removed the tongue maybe slid in under the chassis and held in any adjusted position by set-screw 5c, during storage or'when the machine is being transported on a railroad car or other I neans of conveyance. Near the outer end of the tongue 5, is the cast-ing 8, having avertically arranged sleeve in which the vertical post 7, is adjustable, the latter being held in any desired position by setscrew 9. On the lower end of the post 7, is swiveled'the 4caster wheel 6, and on the extreme outer end of the tongue 5, is mounted any convenient handle 10, by-which the machine may b pulled or pushed about by hand. 1

' At the other, or front end, ofthe chassis are shown a pair of non-compressible supports represented generally at 11, each of which is preferably composed of a hollow tubular member 11, and a threaded member 11b, telescoping into said tubular member and carrying a nut 11c provided with a hand wheel serving to limit the extent to which the member 11b, may be telescoped into 11a.

' The lower ends of members 11b, are provided ground. Preferably these supports 1l, are' flexibly connected to thechassis by a iexible lost motion connection formed by the slot 12,

in the member 11a, through which passes the pin member 13, which is fast tothe chassis.

14, is afront housing or cross bar on the chassis fastened to the'` channel irons 1, 1a, 'by means of the pins 13', and any other suitable fastening, provided with the vertical-v upper rib 15, preferably made in the shape of an inverted V. On the under side of the housing 14, is the journal bearing 16, for the mechanism. Y 74, is a 'ournal bearing fast in the upper portion o rib 15, for the fron-t end ofthe counter shaft 70, of the feed .mechanism and these two 'shafts 17 S and 70,

are geared together by the sprocket chain 68, running over the s rocket pinion 67', on shaft 17, and the sproc et wheel 69 on counter-shaft 70. 75, is a hand crank connected to the shaft 17, by detachable spring controlled coupling 76, similar to that employed for cranking motor cars. Normally Athis handle is ot of engagement, but the coupl ling isYthrowninto mesh when the handle is 'earth-auger and its driving and the channel irons 1, and 18%, 18e, are rearf wardly extending ribs connecting the inner edges of the wings 18", with the vertical rib 18a. On the front of the rib .18,are the upper journal bearing 19, and lower journal bearing 21, for the vertically rotating toolh'older 2 0. In therecess at the back of rib f 18", between ribs 18, is V located a countershaft' 25,' carrying at its upper end driving pinion 24, meshing with gear`wheel 23,.on

Y tool-holder 20. This counter-shaft is jour naled in bearings 26, 27, on the back .of rib 18", and-carries beveled gear l28, vmeshing' A with bevel pinion 29, on driving shaft 30.

` Y Iwith the rearend of By means of this gearing, speed of lrotation is reduced during transmission from the driving -'shaft 30, to the tool-holder l20.

On the rear of the chassis -is mounted-an 8-horse power, 2-cylinder' horizontal vgasengine 35, the shaft 34 ofvwhich carries at its forward end thelm'ale 'member 32, of a cone frictim clutch, the. other member of' which, 31, is fast on the -rear end of the main A driving shaft30, which shaft 'is journaled in- @bearings .on cross bars 33, of the chassis.'A

36,15 the ny wheely of this engine, anew usualstarting crank, and' 38, a gas tank heldY on pillow b ocks 40, 'by straps: 39. ".lhe: clutch above described can' be Vthrown into.

1 -or .out of meshby means of rthe Ac lutclx'-lever f l 41,- operating a .screw-threaded 65 for advancing. or clutchV 32.A p42, is anadjustable Vtinu'bhuckle. link connecting the upper end of clutch lever 41, lever 43, which latter 'extends along rthe s i e of the chassis nearly to the front end ofthe machgeand is 'pivoted'at 44, to said ,'is a i -sector plate rigid on thechassis' .-havmg a .circle thecenterf of which is the pivot pinl series of-h'oles`49, arranged in of a lefer movable uy in a vertical direction `l`on pin 44, but is normally held down-by sprlng 46, surrounding pivot `44, so that -pin 47, extendin downwardly from the underside of the ever 43, may be spring-pressed into one of the holes 49; Then the starting lever 43, is raised it may be swung on pivot 44, to operate the clutch, but when released it is locked inposition by pin 47 entering one of said holes 49.

' 50, 50, represent wooden blocks fastened to the under side of channel irons' 1, and fast' ened together by the cross brace52, in which tongue' 5 is socketed, as previously described. To these wooden blocks are bolted clips 51,

'51, surrounding-axle 3, and forming a lost;v motion connection between thehassis and the said Vaxle so .that the resiliency of the "wagon Ysprings 2, may Vhave .full playgbutl limiting the same in van upward direction.

The lugs 53, to which the springs .72, are fastened, as before described, project outwardly as well shown in Figs. 2 and 3, .and are per! forated 'near'their outer endsto serve as resty clips-for the members 11", of the non-compressible supports 11, when the'gsame are removed during transportation of the machine.

The mechanism for feeding the toolholder downward and 'raising it upward to twithdraw the auger from the hole whenV dug 95 consists of the rectangular frame composed -1 1 of the vertical rack 54, the upper cross head' '56 and lower cross head 57,Yholtcd thereto,

and the tie god 55, connecting the other ends of said cross heads. The tool-holder 20,*is

from endwise -movementtherein hy theJ u per collar 58, fast on the tool-holder, t 'e lower collar 59, and the tool-holder tip 60,4 bolted to the lower end of the tool-holder 20 il all as best shown in Fig. 2. This lifting anl feeding frame and 'the tol-holdersupported' thereby may be .raised and loweed y the pinion 71f, on counter-shaft'70(v The rck 541 1s held in positive engagement with pinion Il 7 1, -byidler roller 72, journale'd on a stub Y shaft and. supported by lug 73, by' the rib-18, of main'jhousin'g 18,- asbest showh in'Fig. 3.Y 4

`The tool-holdertip 60,` has -a coned recess nl "61, into: which fits the taperedend 62, vof the -v al r This auger'fshank-i's of a- A-pcifygvolalsection. preferably square' as shown in Figs. 5 and 8,and the upperv end 'pf this polygpnal cross sectioned. shank nests l 1n the correspondingly draped' month 6 3, of the recess.6 1, ill' the tool-holder tip 6 0. 'When the end 62,' of the shank is forced home' m Ysaid reeess,'the Vauger shank is held in -thi'sposition by the screw collar or mu' i upling 6 5, which can be -on' to-tllile ower end of ge iphO, andensmeet e Projecting en "0 te. i'n 64, extending transversely through the auger' Yshank'22. 66,"represents in loo. i journale'd in vthese cross heads and prevented coupling 65, in which aspanner wrench may be inserted for rotating the coupling.

lVhile the tool .holder 20, may be raised as well as lowered by the hand crank 75, I prefer to employ power for raising the toolholder and auger from the post hole when it is completed, as this operation requires a great deal of force. To this end I provide on the rear end of shaft 17, a. loosely revoluble clutch member 77 (see Figs. 3 and 6) which is geared by sprocket chain 78, to 4sprocket pinion .79, on engine shaft 34, and also provide a coned clutch member. 80, which"\is fastened on shaft 17, as shown in Fig. 6, and movable lengthwise thereof by means of the grooved collar 81, engaged byi the shifting lever 82, pivoted at 83, to the chassis, and pivoted at its other end to the connecting rod or link 86, by pin 87. 90, is a tension spring connected at one end to llever 82, and fast at the other end to the chassis, serving to normally hold the leverV 82, in retracted position with the clutch member 80, out of mesh. vTo prevent this" this arrangement the sprocket clutch member 77, rotates continuousl with the engine shaft 34, and when the c utch member 80, is forced into mesh by pressing down on the i front end of the shifting handle 88, the feed shaft 17, is rotated in a counter clockwise direction, looking at Fig. 2, and the rack`54, is forced up, carrying with it the tool-holder 20, andthe earth auger chucked therein. To hold the partsv in the elevated position I provide the releasing pawl 17", shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 7, which is carried by the little hand crank 17, journaled on the housing 14. This pawl engages the ratchet wheel. 17a, on shaft 17, and is -held against said ratchet .wheel by ielding pressure derived from the weight ofy the ,lever 17. When'the auger is'being fed down by hand crank 75,

' this pawl is released, the little crank 17,

. resting against the ribA 1,5, of the front housbegins to pull .the machin@ downward, 'comn ing, as indicated in dotted lines'in Fig.7.

The preferred form of earth auger shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 8 -consists ofethe 4helical mold-board of one convolution ofthe helix mountedon :the lower end of shank 22, and a screw shaped auger point 91, for boring/the .centering hole in the ground. The moldboard,is equipped with one or-,vmore downwardly projectin'gvertical slicing knives' 95,

bolted to it near its circumferential edge.

Preferably there are 4two 'of these knives placed 1 8() degrees apart, as s hownin Fig.` 8.

Preferably also the lower edge of the mold- A` board is provided with a removable cutting knife 93, and a hinged flap 94, swings loosely from the rear upper edge of the mold-board helix backwardly from knife 93, and rests on the lower end of the mold-board, as best shown` in Fig. 1.

96, is the usual throttle lever for the motor 35,located at the front end of the chassis on shaft 97, the rear end of which is provided with a crank 99, from which extends the connecting rod 98,'to .the motor throttle, not shown. 100 1) is one of the ignition plugs for the 4motor.

The foregoing apparatusl is operated as follows: When the machine is being transported overl wagon roads or acrosscoun'try the telescoping members 11b, f the noncompressible sup Orts are hung-in clips 53, as indicatedin otted lines in Fig. 2, and the earth-auger is removed' from the toolholder 20. The machine may then be dragged along by a team or motor car connected tothe handle 10. 'When in position for operation, the mcmbersill", are placed back in operativeposition and the telescoping supports 11, are so adjusted by nuts 11"v that a considerable pro ortion of the weight of thet machine W1ll e' taken ofi of. the springs 2,v so as to give the chassis a rm basis of support. The earth-auger is inserted in the tollholder 20, the -is thrown out of operative pos1tion,'the clutch lever 43, swung into position to .engage Vthe driving clutch' 31-32, and

the auger is thereby revolved and` forced downward into the earth by vturning vthe crank. 75, in a clockwise direction,l looking at Fig. 2. As soon as the moldboard 92, of the auger is buried in the pawl 17 b,

earth, the auger will feed'itself down and. continue to burrow into. the ,earth,'creating practically no disturbance whatever upon the surface thereof. If the auger strlkes a rock orl other obstruction 'which tends to jolt the machine, the chassis and the entire l.

mechanism carried thereby` may sprinv .u' wardlyn under.' the yielding action of t e springs 2, and the lost motion connections of the supports 11, andthe axle clips 51, with.

out `moving the wheels 4, or supports 11, from their inltial positions on the As soon as the auger takeshold agamif it pressing springs 2, these; noncompressible supports 'soon come into play again and withstand 'any such further pull' of the auger. When the hole has been "dug sutli-` ciently deep, the pawli17, is thrown. back intov operative position; as lshown in full round.

linesin Fig. 7, and the, bell crank lever 88, n -is depressed, throwing the clutch membger 80, into mesh, and the continued. rtationgof the engine rotates inion 7 1, and lifts rack i 54, and with it toololder` 20, andthe. earth- A .in close-coupledrelation so that none of auger chuckedtherein,together with all the loose 'dirt in the-hole on top of the moldboard`92, thus leaving the hole clean. During this withdrawal operation, the clutch 31, A32, may be thrown out of mesh so as to stop the rotation of the auger, or. it may .be left in mesh, the rotation of the auger dur- -ing withdrawal tending to throw 'off the dirtl carried lthereby vby centrifugal action and'prevent the /same dropping back into the hole after the auger is entirel removed. The special chuck or kcoupling or holding the sha-nk 22, of the earth-auger in the tool holder 2,0, above described is particularly important` because while it ensures rotation ofthe auger .it is not liable to' become jammed under the twisting and joltingthe auger.

' may' endure.' Nomatter how hard usage it encounters,'on unscrewing the threaded cou- 75 in mesh and turning it by hand in a clockpling '65,' and striking' the toolfholder or auger shank 22, with ay hammer the lattervv comes free from the chuck.

During the boring -operation of the auger erated, if necessary, by holdingv eed crank lse direction. .'fThe slicing knives 95, cut

'. out al' cylindrical 'core of earth under which lifting theloose e'arthfof the core so that .moId-board 92 may burrowunder it, the

hinged flap 94 swinging backward to permit' this action.` When the auger is lifted out of the hole, however, byl hand or by power, flap 94 drops into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, traps the' entire core of loose earth on top'of Vthe mold-board, and all of said earth is thereby lifted out with the auger,

Y leaving the post hole clean and empty, ready feature of t e main housing 18 on which all the bearings for the revolving and slidingelements of the tool-holder andA its v driving and feeding mechanism are bolted them .can get out of line or register with the others, and consequently only the minimum of driving power. is lost -in friction. The rigid base forthe machine afforded by caster 6,.a1id non-compressible sup rts 11, L11, during the-boring operation w ereby a straight hole maybe bored under normal conditions, combined with the yielding character-,of the fulcrum alorded b the partially spring supported weight o the its downward feeding .motionma be accel `the mam cutting knife 93 passes, lslightlychassls under abnormal condltlons (such as those resulting from encountering small rocks, roots, etc.) whereby the jauger is permitted to swerve, avoid any obstruction, and

'resume boring beneath it. along the original line offeed. The small amount of power `needed because the slicing knives 95 cut a loose core of earth in whiph main knife 93,

andv mold-board 92 may operate easily, and the completeremoval of such earth core due to the trappingafction of flap 94 when the auger. is lifted. Keeping the mold-'board down tothe length of one convolution ofthe helix also reduces .the friction of the boring operation, while the flap 94, renders any greater extent of mold-board uunnecessary Y forthe dirt removing operation.v a result of the cooperation of all these factors this machine,` equipped with an 8 horsepower motor, will bore 'and clean' out a standard telegraphY post holdin threeminntes, *while six times that amount VAof, power is required for the only other machine known. to me to bev on the market 4for this f `work. This lightweight motor', and Vth'e.

compact driving connections reduce the total v weight of the machine so -that it can ba easily and Aquickly hauled from one Fposition to another, the average time consumed in pulling up stakes from one location, movmg to the next telegraph pole location, setting up vthe -machine in the new location and starting the auger, is seven minutes. Con-1 sequently such standard telegraph post holes can be dug at the rate of six to the hour with one man to operate the machine and whatever gangor team may be needed to. drag it from' one location to another #according toA the nature'of the terrain, which may or may not make it necessary tofyank .the machine 'up and down railwayr embankments .and the sides of railwa cuts.v l

As all `the clutch an control levers, and the feed crank, are located at, or extendv to, the front of the machine, one skilled man llU can control the holevboring and emptying operations without moving out of his tracks, and only cheap labor or draft animals. are needed for tractive power in moving the apparatus. AThe light and compact con-.

struction also reduces first cost and that of maintenance and repairs.

- Various changes could be made in.- the form and arrangement of the elements of the driving, feeding and supporting mech'- anisms described without departing froml the underlying principle of the ,invention above described, so long as the essential -rinciples of construction and operation erein set out are preserved.

Having 'described my invention, I claim: .1. In a portable boring machine the coin- .bination, with a spring supported chassis, an

mechaearth auger and driving and feedin yA sald nisxn for said auger supported' chassis, of incompressible supports connected to said chassis and adapted to bear upon the surface of the ground when the springs ai'e compressed to the extent consistent with normal operation of the auger by reason of any downward pull of said auger in such operation.

2. A combination such as set forth in claim 1 .in which said supports are adjustable lengthwise.

3. A combination such as set forth in claim 11 in which said supports have universal joint connections to the chassis.

4. A combination such as set forth in claim 1 in which said supports have lost motion connections to the chassis.

5. In a portable earth boring machine the combination, with va chassis, an earth auger and means for rotating said 'auger carried by said chassis. a pair of supporting wheels andan axle therefor, and springs resting on said axle and supporting saidI chassis, of a pair of non-compressible supports having lost motion connections to said chassis located on either side of said earth auger, and lost motion'A connections between said chassis and said axle.l

4support therefor comprising, in combination,

an upper tubular member having a universal joint connection to the machine, a lower, threaded member adapted to slide freelyI within limits into and. out of said tubular member, and a nut on said threaded member adapted to limit said inwardly sliding action in an inward direction. 7. A combination such as set forth in claim 6 in. which said-threaded member is equipped at its lower end with a shoe adapted to provide it withadequate bearing surface on the ground.

A 8. In a portable earth boring machine, the combination, witha chassis, an earth auger and driving mechanism therefor, and two supporting wheels, of adraft tongue pro-- jecting from said chassis and a casterwheel journalled in a vertical post which is mounted on and adjustable lengthwise of said tongue.

9. A combination such as set forth in Iclaim 8 in which the said tongue is pinned in a horizontal sleeve on said chassis and is movable through said sleeve when the pin is removed, whereby the overall lengtlr of the machine may be shortened for purposes v`of storage? or transportation.

A10. In an earth boring 'machine the c'om-l bination, with a chassisyan earth auger and power driven mechanism for rotating said auger without imparting any feeding motion thereto supported on said chassis, and a hand operated feed mechanism-for said auger, of

la power drivenmechanism' adapted fto be tlirowninto gear for lifting said auger.

11. Mechanism such as set forth in claim 10, combined with a releasable pawl for holding the auger in elevated position.

.12. A combination such as set forth in clainilO in which the said auger feed mechanisni comprises a hand crank provided with a normally open, spring-controlled clutch connection to the remainder of said feed mechanism. s

13. In an earth boring machine the combination of auger rotating and auger lifting mechanisms; comprising parallel shafts, a motor shaft in line with the shaft of the auger rotating mechanism, a clutch member fast on the end of said auger rotating shaft, a cooperating clutch member rotating with but movable lengthwise of the motor shaft, a clutch member re-voluble on the end of the auger lifting shaft, connecting gearing between the two last mentioned clutch `members, a clutch member rotating with the auger lifting shaft but movable lengthwise thereof, and means for throwing either or gboth of said clutch members which are movable lengthwise of their Vrespective supporting shafts into, or out of mesh With their cooperating clutch ,members 14. A combination suchas set forth inV claim 13 in which the gearing connecting the clutch' member movable lengthwise on the motor shaft with the clutch member revthe requisite flexibility for movements of the first mentioned clutch memberl is secured.`

K15. In an earth boring machine compris ing a chassis, an earth boring auger and a motor mounted on said chassis, driving mechanism interposed between said motor and auger, a clutch -for connecting said mo- `oluble on theauger lifting shaft is of chain and sprocket. wheel construction, whereby tor to, or disconnecting it from, said driving v mechanism and manually operable means for controlling said clutch extending to the front end of said chassis, the vcombination with the above recited apparatus of manually operable means for feeding downward or lifting upward, said auger also located at the front end of said chassis. Y

16. As an element in a portable earth boring machine, which machine comprises an earthV boring auger f and driving mechanism therefor, a housing for supporting said auger and a portion of said driving mechanism, which housing comprises a casting having separated horizontal wings adapted` to be bolted at their outer ends to the chassis of said machine, aomain vertical rib connectingv said wings and extending alongy the front edges thereof, journal bearings for an. augerholding member on the front of vsaid rib; two vertical ribs extending from the rear ofsaid' mainrib along the inner edges of said horizontal wings to form a vertically arranged box-like structure open at the rear, 'i and journal bearings for a countershaft mounted on the rear of said main vertical riblwithin.

said box-like structure.

17. lIn an earth boringmachine' the combination, with a tool holder, a motor, and

` 5 gearing connecting said motor to said tool thesector center", a lever pivoted, and vertically lnova'ble on, said pivot pin, fa spring normally*holding said leverdown upon the sector, a' series of holes in .said seotordisposed ,cn'cumferentlally about said Aplvot pm,

and a depending pin on said level` adapted to engage any one of said holes.' 

